Cigarette lighter



Aug. 23, 1949. R, s, @ANS 2,479,827

CIGARETTE LIGHTER Filed July 5, 1946 Patented Aug. 23, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE mesme assignments, to Lapeer Manufacturing Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application July 5, 1946, Serial No. 681,455

1 Claim.

This invention relates generally to cigarette lighters and more particularly to an extremely simple, novel and improved type of lighter construction which embodies certain advantages not Fig. 6 -is a vertical, sectional view through the lighter construction shown in Fig. 1 and partly broken awa-y and illustrates the unitary mechanism being assembled into the body of the lighter.

heretofore obtained. With more particular reference to the draw The primary object of myinvention is to proings, it will be readily apparent that the lighter vide a cigarette lighter construction which iS construction specically illustrated in the drawnot only attractive and ornamental in appearings and described below is merely illustrative ance, but which readily lends itself to easy and of one `form `of lighter construction which emconvenient fabrication 0n high Speed, mOdeIl l0 bodies numerous of the novel and improved feaproduction machinery. tures of the present invention.

Still further, the invention contemplates a pro- While the particular material from which the vision of a cigarette lighter'construction in which body `of the improved lighter construction of the the body thereof is formed from a single, solid present invention may be :fabricated forms no bar of the material, thereby eliminating solderN part of the present invention, it has been found ing, welding and the many Various expensive asw preferable to manufacture the body of the lighter sembly operations normally incident to the mam from bar -stocklof magnesium, aluminum, or simif ufacture of devices of this general character. lar metals. This provides a construction whichi Still further, the invention contemplates the is easily machined, which readily lends itself to provision of a cigarette lighter construction in an Vattractive exterior finish, and which inherwhich the body thereof provides a reservoir for ently results in alproduct which is light in weight iluid and a storage space for lints and to which and `simple to manufacture.

a unitary mechanism Comprising the Operating The bar stock from which the body portion of paItS 0f the lighter' may be so assembled that the lighter is manufactured is preferably rectipins or other fastening means are not visible on linear in transverse cross-section and a suitable the exterior of the lighter, thereby making the length thereof is cut ofi to provide a body porsame unusually attractive. tion I0. One end of this body may be milled away Still further, this invention contemplates the to provide upstanding side portions l2 and it provision of a cigarette lighter construction in between which-a unitary mechanism to be here which the wick is automatically lighted as the inafterdescribed is mounted. The forward porn cover opens. tion'of the body lll is also machined away tc Many other and further objects, advantages, form a groove or recess IG and a bore I8 of conand features of the present invention will become siderable size is drilled into the body for receivclearly apparent from the following specication, ing the `wadding 20 which absorbs the uid and when considered in conjunction with the drawprevents the Wick 22 from becoming too wet to ings forming a part thereof, and the claim herelight. The bore I8 is closed at the bottom by inafter set forth. the plug 24 which is threaded into a tapped por Fig. l is a vertical, sectional View through a tion of that bore and is provided with a irustolighter construction embodying improvements of conical surface at 26 adapted to enter into enthe `present invention; 40 gaging relationship with a tapered surface Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the lighter in an enlarged portion of the bore I8 to posiconstruction illustrated in Fig. 1; tively seal the bore I8 and prevent leakage.

Fig. 3 is a rear elevational view vof the lighter Another bore 30, spaced from the bore i8. is proconstruction of Fig. 1; vided for receiving the concealed flint 32 which is Fig. 4 is a section taken substantially on line 45 maintained in operative position by means of 4 4 of Fig. 1, showing a unitary mechanism asthe spring 34 within the bore 3Q. A plug sembled in the body of the lighter; threaded into the lower end of the bore 33 re- Fig. 5 is a vertical, sectional View partly broken tains the spring 34 in the bore 3Q. away and illustrating the lighter cover open and The unitary mechanism mentioned in the forem the cover latching means in disengaged position; going consists of operative parts of the lighter which in the process of manufacture are assembled into a sub-assembly, thus greatly facilitating manufacture, and then assembled as a unit between the walls I2 and I4 of the body I0. The unitary mechanism comprises a holder or supporting member 40 which is substantially L- shaped, having the upwardly directed member 42 at one end and provided with ears 44 and 46 at the other end. Near end 42 of the supporting member 40, a pair of posts 48 and 5l) are machined and a pin 52 extends between and passes through the posts 48 and 50. A cover 54 is mounted on the pin 52 to be urged from closed to open position by springs 56 and 58. It will be observed that each spring has one end which bears upon the cover 54 and another end which bears upon the body IU of the lighter, when the unitary mechanism is assembled between the walls I2 and I4, and when the cover is released, by latching means to be described hereinafter.` the springs urge the cover to open position.

A toothed wheel Sl! is also mounted on the pin 52 between the posts 43 and 5l) and thus is in position, when the mechanism is assembled between walls !2 and I4, to engage the flint 32 for causing sparks to be emitted from the flint and thereby eiecting ignition of the wick 22 when the wheel 60 is rotated. Rotation of the wheel Gil is accomplished by means of a split washer 52 mounted on the pin 52 adjacent the ratchet teeth on the side of the toothed wheel 60. One of the ends of the split washer 62 engages a tooth on the side of the wheel 60 and as the cover is opened the washer B2 rotates to drive the wheel Bil for causing the same to scrape the top of the flint 32 which, at that time, emits sparks.

At the forward end of the cover 54, as may be seen in Figs. l, 5, and 6, a notch 64 is formed. The notch (i4 cooperates with the formed end B6 of a latching member 58, which is rotatably supported by a pin lll extending transversely between and passing through the ears 44 and 46 of the mounting member 40, and is normally urged into engagement with the notch 64 by a spring 'i2 also mounted on the pin lll. As may be seen in the figures, the spring 'l2 has an end which forcibly engages the lower end of the latching member S while the opposite end of that spring engages the supporting member 40, consequently, the spring 'E2 cannot rotate about the pin 'IIJ and therefore urges the lower end of the latching member B8 outwardly to force the formed end et into notch 54 for locking the cover '54 in closed position. To open the cover 54, the latch B may be pressed inwardly against the action of the spring l2. In this manner, the formed end 66 of the latching member 68 is moved out of the notch 64 and, at that time, springs 56 and 58 cause the cover 54 to open rapidly and rotate the toothed wheel Si! against the flint 32.

After the mechanism described in the foregoing is assembled into a unit, the same is inserted between the walls I2 and I4 of the body I0, as may be seen in Fig. 6. At that time, an opening i4, immediately below the toothed wheel 60, registers with a cylindrical collar 'I6 mounted in the housing le to serve as a guide for the flint 32. When the supporting member lll is against a surface 'i8 of the body It, a wick holder 8l) is put in position to extend through the member 40 into a bore provided therefor at the upper end of the bore i8. After this, a screw 84 which extends through the member 4D is threaded into the tapped opening 35 provided in the base I 0 and the assembly of the lighter is complete.

When this unitary mechanism is -assembled to the lighter body, the lower end of the latching member 68 is disposed in the previously mentioned recess I6 provided in the forward part of the lighter body I0, and it may be pressed inwardly in that recess to effect opening of the cover 54.

Thus, it will be appreciated that all the operating parts of the lighter are concealed between the walls I2 and I4 of the body I0 so that pins or other fastening means do not detract from the external appearance of the lighter.

In order to sustain combustion, it is necessary to supply air to the wick 22, and the lighter of this invention provides novel and improved means for supplying air to the wick. To accomplish this, grooves 90 and 92 extend transversely of the body I0 with one on each side of the supporting member 40. The grooves 90 and 92 supply air in an upward direction to the wick 22 inasmuch as the heated air surrounding the wick rises, allowing cool air to be drawn in through the slots. This updraft of air serves also to remove the products of combustion which would otherwise smother the flame. Further, it may be observed that the wick 22 is well shielded by the walls I2 and I4 and the end 42 of the member 40 and the upper end of the latching member 58 to prevent extinguishment of the flame due to sudden drafts, and therefore the lighter of this invention supplies a steady flame under severe conditions.

To extinguish the flame of the lighter a blind opening 94 is drilled in the cover 54 and permits the cover to close upon the wick holder 80 in such manner that the metal in which opening 94 is drilled contacts the wick holder 80. The supply of air is then cut off to the Wick 22 and the flame extinguished.

It will be clear from the foregoing description that the lighter shown in the drawings and described above has been illustrated and described in rather specific detail. Obviously, many modications, changes, and departures from the above described construction may be made without departing from the generic spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the subjoined claim.

What is claimed is:

A cigarette lighter construction comprising a generally rectilinear body portion having a central portion of the upper end thereof milled away to provide a pair of parallel upstanding side walls in substantial continuation of the sides of the body portion, said body portion having a. relatively large bore therethrough extending upwardly from the bottom to a point adjacent the upper end thereof, said bore being provided with a suitable closure at its lower end and serving to provide a fuel chamber, said body portion being provided with a second but substantially smaller bore generally parallel to and spaced from said first mentioned bore, said last mentioned bore extending upwardly throughout the entire length of the lighter body, a bracket assembly for mounting ignition operating means removably on the upper end of the lighter body between said upstanding side walls, means for detachably anchoring said bracket in position on said lighter body, a pair of apertures through said bracket, one of said apertures providing communication with said fuel chamber and serving to support and house a capillary wick, the other aperture serving to constitute an extension of said second bore above mentioned and serving to house an ignition int, said bracket assembly including a pair of upstanding lugs, a toothed ignition wheel journalled mounted between said lugs 'and 1ocated immediately above said ignition int, a cover member adapted to provide a closure for the entire upper end of said lighter, said cover member having -a pair of depending anges serving to pivotally mount said cover member coaxially with said ignition Wheel. means drivingly connecting said cover member with said ignition Wheel whereby opening of said cover will eiect rotation of said wheel, and a latch member pivotally mounted at the forward end of said bracket assembly, said latch member having a portion extending above said pivot adapted to engage said cover and a portion extending below said pivot to provide means for releasing said latch from engagement with said cover.

ROBERT S. GANS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

